Curve Ball: Baseball, Statistics, and the Role of Chance in the Game

Albert, Jim, and Bennett, Jay

ISBN 10: 0387988165 / ISBN 13: 9780387988160

Published by Copernicus Books, New York, 2001

About this Item

350, figures, tables, bibliography, slight wear to DJ. Inscribed by the co-author (Jay Bennett). The authors argue that just a slightly more sophisticated approach to statistics can greatly increase one's understanding of baseball numbers and one's appreciation of the game.

Seller Inventory # 55375

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Curve Ball: Baseball, Statistics, and the Role of Chance in the Game
• Publisher: Copernicus Books, New York
• Publication Date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387988165
• ISBN 13: 9780387988160
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Printing.
• Condition: very good, very good

About this title

Synopsis

In its formative years, from the 1970s through the 1990s, sabermetrics was p- marily an amateur undertaking. Publications were aimed at a relatively small audience of baseball fans. To be sure, this ever-growing group of aficionados brought a lot of sophistication to baseball analysis, and were constantly looking for statistical insights beyond the listings of the top ten batters found in popular newspapers and magazines. But their influence on the baseball profession was very limited. A few consultants like Craig Wright developed temporary relati- ships with various teams, but none were able to stay long enough to create a p- manent sabermetrician staff position. (See Rob Neyer’s November 11, 2002, arti- 1 cle on ESPN. com. ) All of this changed, however, in 2002 with the hiring of Bill James by the Boston Red Sox. With that move, we have seen the admittance of the foremost proponent of sabermetrics into the top echelon of professional ba- ball management. The art and science of careful statistical analysis, it now seems, had made it into the big leagues. Since the publication of the first edition of Curve Ball in 2001, we have been overwhelmed by the positive responses from readers and critics. We’re pleased with the reception, of course, but we don’t want to rest on our laurels. Like a pitcher refining his repertoire, we’ve revised, expanded, and updated the book for its publication in this paperback edition. Several readers and critics took us 1 http://espn. go. com/mlb/columns/neyer_rob/1456664.

About the Author

Jim Albert is Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at Bowling Green State University. He currently chairs the Sports Section of the American Statistical Association.

Jay Bennett is a Senior Scientist with Telcordia Technologies and editor of Statistics in Sport (1999). His views on baseball statistics have appeared in USA Today, Time, and Omni.